Report on the results of a monitoring visit to the State Institution ‘Kholodnohirska Correctional Colony (No. 18)’

On 02 April 2019, the monitoring group of the NGO ‘KHPG’ visited the State Institution ‘Kholodnohirska Correctional Colony (No. 18)’ (hereinafter HKK (No. 18)). At present, HKK (No. 18) is a medium-security penal institution (for holding men first sentenced to imprisonment for a fixed term), with a planned capacity of 1062 persons. At the time of the visit, 468 persons were held in the institution. There are officially 5 religious denominations in the institution.

DIZO/PKT Sector

At the time of the visit, 5 persons were held in the DIZO/PKT. It is worth noting that the institution was actively undergoing renovations during the visit. Renovation did not bypass the DIZO/PKT sector either. The monitors saw both already renovated cells and cells that were in the stage of renovation. None of the interviewed convicts contested their placement in this sector.

In the cells, daylight enters through a small window that the convicts are not able to open themselves. The administration assured that the windows are opened at the request of the convict. The cells are fresh enough; the air temperature is a bit low, but the convicts did not complain.

The toilets in the cells are clean, separated by partitions and small doors. There is no unpleasant odour.
A serious drawback is the absence of drinking water tanks in the cells; convicts drink tap water or tea. The administration demonstrated new, but as yet uninstalled, tanks for drinking water. The monitoring group hopes for the earliest possible installation of these tanks in the cells.

Bath and laundry complex
The pride of the institution is the bathhouse, renovated at its own expense.

The premises are clean and covered with modern tiles. The shower cubicles are separated by high partitions. Curtains and mats are thoroughly dried after using the bathhouse; the convicts on duty in the bathhouse demonstrated their presence to the members of the monitoring group.

The laundry is also renovated, with new washing machines and a separate room for drying.

Medical and sanitary unit

Also, the monitoring group inspected the medical unit of the Kholodnohirska Correctional Colony No. 18. First of all, the point we would like to draw attention to is the absence of the Chief Physician of the penal institution’s medical unit, as a result of which the monitoring group could not familiarise itself with either the medical files of the convicts who gave their consent for this, or with the sanitary books of the canteen staff.

According to one of the doctors who was on the premises, the convicts receive the necessary treatment and supervision; however, some convicts claimed quite the opposite, including persons suffering from tuberculosis. In addition, the doctor reported that the patients in the medical unit have the following illnesses: ulcers of the lower extremities, pneumonia, phalanx fracture, inflammation of the knee joint, lumbago of the lumbar spine; most of all, patients complained of stomach ulcers.

At the same time, two persons were discovered in the territory of the medical unit with a likely open form of tuberculosis, which, according to them, was detected a week ago, so they are awaiting the fastest possible diagnosis.

Canteen

As for the canteen, the first thing to focus on is the renovation being carried out in the canteen area, where, according to the administration, they even plan to install dishwashers. A bakery is operating in the colony territory, where delicious bread is baked.

Food is standard for penal institutions: soups, porridges, chicken meat, and fish. The quality of products is also standard; they are supplied to the institution at the state’s expense. The chicken is ‘emaciated’, and the fish is frozen sardinella.

The institution practices a method of product storage: canning. They can everything: onions, beets, courgettes, cabbage. The administration assures that this is the only way to save the products, as the procurement takes place only once a year.

Living zone
Positive aspects are that in some rooms of the living zones, convicts are carrying out renovation work; the toilets are in satisfactory condition and meet basic requirements.

There is a corner with legal literature; the internal regulations (PVR) are new, but the codes are somewhat outdated. There is the Istanbul Protocol and textbooks on law.

Production
The institution has a huge production facility, oriented mainly towards the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. The production capacity is capable of providing jobs for 100% of the convicts.

EU Project ‘Fight against torture, ill-treatment and impunity in Ukraine’